Note: Adachi may end up being found out, at least for assaulting Saki, but this by no means is going to cut our heros' story short. I have some plans for Mr. Tohru Adachi.

Rain came pelting down on Yu's umbrella as he stood by the alcohol store; Nanako was standing close by tapping her foot. Looking down at his feet Yu began to bounce on his heels, lower lip being bitten. 'So... should I just knock?' Yu made a small motion towards the door but stepped away. 'She was still beat up when she came back here... I'm sure she's really busy right now with the police too.' Yu looked down the shopping district and sighed. 'Guessing that's why Dojima left that note for Nanako and me...' Yu looked back down to his feet and began to walk down the street. 'I guess it doesn't really matter right now.' Nanako remained where the two had been standing for the last five minutes, a baffled look coming over her face.

″What was that all about?″ she ran up to Yu and looked into his sullen face. ″You know someone there?″

″Yeah.″ Yu looked over at the Textile shop and saw the blond again listlessly looking out the window. Yu began to raise his hand to wave but lowered it down when the blond made eye contact with him. Yu quickly looked away, his body beginning to feel flushed. Closing his eyes he groaned and began to rub his neck. ″Damn, I really hope this goes away...″

Nanako sighed and looked straight ahead, remaining silent.

Looking down to his cousin Yu felt a pang of guilt. ″I'm sorry Nanako.″

″Huh?″ Nanako looked up at Yu nonchalantly. ″For what?″

Hanging his head Yu tightened his grip on his handbag. ″I've been ignoring you a lot, and acting like an absolute bother to you.″ Yu looked out of the corner of his eye and saw the androgynous gas station attendant the he met on his first day in Inaba. His mind drifted from what he was saying and he became focused on the attendant. She or he was just leaning on a gas pump, smiling and waving.

Nanako rested a hand on Yu's leg. ″It's okay, it doesn't really hurt my feelings much.″ Nanako sighed and looked up at Yu. ″As long as you don't do anything really weird, like waiting outside of a shop for no reason, I'll be fine.″

″My, was that a hint of passive aggression Nanako?″ Yu smirked and rested a hand on her head.

″That depends, what's passive aggression?″ Yu began to laugh profusely to which Nanako responded with a glare. ″Did you just make fun of me?″

″No, just a little lighthearted teasing.″ Yu began to wipe a tear away from his eye, ″Let's just say your really good at getting across when your upset."

Nanako grew red and stopped her walking. ″I'm not upset!″

Looking back at Nanako, Yu flushed. 'I didn't want to tick her off like that.' Yu smiled reassuringly and walked up to her. ″I'm sorry Nanako, I keep saying the wrong things. But are you sure you aren't a little upset?″

Looking down to her shoes Nanako began to pout. ″Let's just get to school.″

'Way to go you dumb ass.' Yu sighed and watched Nanako pass him by. Running a hand through his hair he took a deep breath and continued on walking Nanako to her school.

Yu had remained silent throughout most of the school day, neither Chie or Yosuke tried to lean over to him to discuss what they saw on the TV last night. 'Its for the best...' Yu rested his chin in his palm and stared, mystified, at his history teacher. 'We'd probably want to find somewhere less crowded to talk. That is if we saw the same thing last... Okay, is she actually allowed to wear that in class?' Kimiko Sofue, the history teacher, wore on her head an Egyptian crown and in her hands were a pair of scepters. Sighing Yu sunk into his seat and looked over at Chie. Glancing up she caught a short glimpse of Yu but looked back down into her notebook.

″Narukami, you seem to be a little disinterested in the current subject matter.″ Miss Sofue crossed her arms and obtained the appearance of a sarcophagus. A mischievous smile came over her face as all the other students in class switched their attention to him.

Blushing Yu began to sink further into his seat. ″It's not that Sofue-sensei.″

″Very good,″ her arms relaxed and they went to her sides. ″ than perhaps I can ask you a little question.″

Yu's eyes widened. 'Shit! I wasn't paying attention at all! I'm dead, I'm dead!'

″When did A.D. start?″ Miss Sofue raised one of her scepters and pointed them at Yu.

″Seriously?″ Yu felt his terror melt away.

″Would you rather I pick a different question?″ Sofue bent down and looked through some of her notes. ″Here's a nice one...″

″Ack, wait no. It's fine.″

Sofue bent over and began laughing. ″Narukami, I'm only teasing. I'm not going to give anything real difficult in the first week of class.″ Yu began to smile as Miss Sofue gave him a wink. ″Relax.″

″Okay... A.D. started at the birth of Jesus the Christ.″

″Very good Narukami, you can go back to whatever you were doing.″ Miss Sofue began to pace in front of the class and continued on her lecture.

After the last class of the day Yu looked behind himself to see a very silent Yosuke. Yu reached over at tapped Yosuke on the shoulder. ″Do you want to find somewhere we can talk in private?″

″Yeah... I think that'd be a good idea.″ Yosuke groaned and lowered his head. ″Damn...″

As Yosuke raised his head up again Yukiko quickly walked by without saying a word to anyone. ″Yukiko...″ Chie frowned and dishearteningly looked down at her notebook. ″They're running her ragged up there.″ Grabbing her face she groaned and slammed her head into the desk.

″Where do you guys want to talk?″ Yu carefully got out of his seat and slung his handbag over his shoulder.

″The roof is a good place.″ Chie said with a muffled voice. Lethargically she pointed up towards the ceiling. ″It's a good place to go and talk.″

When they got up to the roof they all sat quietly by some ventilation units; their gazes pointed downwards. ″So... that was something.″ Yosuke gave a weak laugh and began to rub the back of his head.

Chie whistled and looked up to the sky. ″Yep... something.″

Yu sighed and began to rub his aching neck. ″Yeah, something...″

″I didn't know that my soul mate would be a girl...″ Chie shook her head and crossed her arms. ″I really didn't see her coming as my soul mate.″

″Who'd you see?″ Yosuke looked warily at Chie.

″Uh...″ Chie blushed and looked away from Yosuke. ″I... it was someone we know. What about you? Who'd you see?″ Chie smiled and placed an arm around Yosuke's shoulder. ″Looks like it wasn't who you were expecting.″

″Your half right...″ Yosuke grimaced and shook his head. ″Whatever, I'm not saying who it is yet. You talk first.″ Yosuke looked back to Chie who looked mortified.

″Me? You wouldn't want to know who I saw.″ Chie's eyes began to dart about. ″What about you?″ Chie settled her gaze over on Yu and gave a forced smile. ″Bet you saw someone interesting.″

Yu stuck his tongue in his cheek and looked over at his two acquaintances. 'Should I tell them out right?' Yu looked down and sighed. ″I saw Saki-Senpai.″

As soon as he said this Yosuke's face flushed as did Chie's. ″What?!″ they both shouted. Looking to each other their eyes widened. ″Wait, you?″ they repeated each other again.

″How can we all have the same soul mate?″ Chie cried as she grabbed her face. ″Is that even possible?″

″What the hell is going on here?″ Yosuke cried and got to his feet. ″This is just weird! Saki was on some weird TV show or whatever, and than nothing!″

″She...″ Yu stopped and shook his head. ″Guys, I need you to listen, and promise that you aren't going to start spreading this around.″

″What are you talking about Yu-kun?″ Chie calmed down and looked over at Yu. ″Did you see something else?″

Yu groaned and began to rub his neck.″Here goes.″ Yu than took a deep breath, ″What you saw was a shadow of Saki, a personification of parts of herself she wants to deny. I got dragged into the TV by my own shadow who told me that I had to save her. I met a weird bear mascot thing named Teddie who had no one inside of him. He gave me glasses so I could see in the fog and I ran off with him to find Saki being confronted by her shadow. My shadow fought Saki's and saved her from being beaten to death. It sounds like a cop had pushed her into the TV world. Teddie dropped her off so she could get home, and I went with her because we ended up in someone else's house. I locked the door went back to the TV world and was confronted with what happens when the fog lifts in that world. My shadow... or Persona... or me... whatever. He and I had to run away from a giant writhing pile of flesh and he picked up Teddie who made TV's fall from the sky. My shadow thing tossed me at the TVs and I was sent back into my room. And after that I ended up getting a bad neck ache which I am really hoping won't turn out being a bit of whiplash.″

Yosuke and Chie looked at Yu with their mouths dropped, a disbelieving stare penetrated right into Yu as they stared at him..

″Okay... now you're making me feel like a crazy person.″ Yu groaned and grabbed his face. ″Guys! It's the truth! You can ask Saki, if she's available that is.″

″What do you mean if she's available?″ Yosuke angrily grabbed at Yu's collar.

Yu felt a bolt of adrenaline run through him, and he quickly smacked Yosuke's hands away ″I assume she's talking with the police over at the situation, with some modifications to her story I'm hoping. She'll probably be stuck with them for a while.″ Yu looked over his shoulder at the school grounds. Frowning Yu tightly grabbed at his handbag. ″I think I'll be going home now.″

″Yu-kun wait!″ Chie reached out to him, but he had already dashed off. Glaring over at Yosuke, Chie smacked him in the chest. ″Idiot!″

″I know...″ Yosuke groaned and took off running. ″Yu, wait up!″

Hiding in the first story bathroom Yu sat on a toilet seat and took his navy journal out. Before he started writing he heard a knock at his stall. ″Yu? Are you in there?″ Yu lowered his shoulders and looked warily at his journal. ″Man where'd he go...″

″I'm in here.″ Yu said solemnly shutting his journal. ″Sorry for running off. I know you care a lot for Saki. You were just freaking out at the thought of something bad having happened to her.″ Sighing Yu covered his face. ″I just get a little jumpy...″ Yu got off the toilet and walked up to the stall door.

″I really could have taken it better though. Didn't mean to freak you out.″ Yosuke leaned on the stall and sighed. ″Listen, come on out. I think we should talk a little more about this.″

Yu groaned but opened up the stall. "I'm not crazy."

"Maybe, maybe not. I want to see some proof." Yosuke crossed his arms and gave Yu a serious glare.

"Was the woman on the television, that was off, at midnight, who somehow appeared in front of her family's alcohol store, with weird lighting, a title drop, and camera clarity that suggest an experienced camera crew not enough proof for you that something weird is going on?!" There was a flush nearby and Yu and Yosuke slowly looked over to the side to see the stall at the end of the row open up. Yu slowly walked back into his stall and shut the door.

Yosuke glared over at the now shut door than back at the guy exiting the now opening stall, "Hey Kou, so... how much of that did you hear?"

The dark haired teen just glanced up at Yosuke and raised his hands. "Listen, I'm just gonna wash my hands and you two can get back to whatever freaky topic you were discussing." Kou walked slowly over to the sink and quietly washed his hands. After finishing he shook the water off and went to the door. Turning about he gave Youske a bow. "You may continue."

Rolling his eyes Yosuke knocked on the stall door. "You can get out now."

Yu opened the door and looked embarrassed as he stared at Yosuke. "Sorry about that..."

"Whatever, let's just go meet up with Chie before anyone else over hears us discussing a TV world with writhing flesh, and weird versions of a girl I have a crush on." There was another flush and Yosuke gave Yu a sardonic glare, than quickly hid away into the stall.

"Hey!" Yu tried to open the door but Yosuke had already sealed it.

"Your turn to deal with this." Yosuke softly hissed.

Looking over to the now opening middle stall Yu blushed when he saw a tall muscular brown haired guy get out. "Uh... uh..." Yu became frozen in place, his entire body becoming rigid.

The guy stopped and looked over at Yu. "Why are you blushing? Did I forget to zip up my fly?" the guy looked down and double checked his pants.

Yu began to turn towards the bathroom stall Yosuke was held up in when the guy zipped up his pants. 'It really wasn't zipped?' Yu looked shyly back to the guy before him and tried to form something to say. "It... isn't your pants..."

"Huh?" the guy looked up at Yu and began to rub the back of his head. "What are you blushing over then?"

Yu looked at the stall than back to the guy before him. "You... didn't hear anything we were talking about?"

"Hear what?"

Smiling Yu laid his back on the stall and slid down. "Thank God..."

"You're kind of a weird one aren't you." the guy turned about and began leaving the bathroom. "Well see you around."

After he had left Yu gave a relieved sigh but was swiftly taken out of the moment when he felt the door opening behind him. Yu scrambled to his feet and watched as Yosuke came out with an amused grin on his face. "Let's just go meet up with Chie." Yu turned to the bathroom door and quickly exited.

"Let me just say, You handled that beautifully." Yosuke grabbed at his mouth and began to snicker.

Yu felt an eye twitch as he stiffened his arms. 'Do not bean him with handbag... do not bean him with handbag...' Leaving the bathroom Yu saw Chie leaning on a wall directly across from him. "Hey..." Yu looked down and relaxed himself. "So, lets find somewhere more private for us to discuss this matter further."

"Sounds good, let's head to your place. That's where it all went down right?"

Yu nodded and began to walk off with Chie. "So, what do you think this Midnight channel thing is?"

"I would have thought you had a better idea about that. You were the one that entered into the TV world... where's Yosuke?" the two stopped and looked back to the bathroom.

After a few moments they heard a flush and a few moments later they saw Yosuke exiting. The two quietly looked at Yosuke who was wiping his hands on the side of his pants. "What? I've been holding that in all day. It just occurred to me that being in the bathroom was a good chance to-"

"Moving on." Chie turned about face and began to walk off. "We're heading over to Yu's house so we can continue the discussion about last night."

Umbrella's out the three walked on down the shopping district when Yu stopped to look at the gas station attendant. The attendant was leaning on the gas pump again, as if she or he had not moved from the spot the entire time Yu had been to school. Both Chie and Yosuke looked at each other confusedly than back to Yu. 'There is definitely something fishy about this guy...' Yu began to stare intently at the attendant who just smiled and waved at him.

"Is this a thing with you? Staring at gas stations?" Yosuke leaned up next to Yu and patted his shoulder.

Yu gave a weak smile and turned to Yosuke,"Huh? Oh, sorry." Yu looked back at the attendant who gave him a bow. "Do either of you know that... guy?"

Yosuke looked over at the attendant and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't spend a lot of time at the gas station so I wouldn't know."

"I think he's been working there for a few years now." Chie thoughtfully lifted a finger to her chin. "Not sure of much else, though he always comes out when it rains. Weird huh?"

Yu began to nod, "So... its a boy..."

"Huh? Actually..." Chie began to squint as she now joined Yu in his staring. "Is it a boy?"

Chie and Yu began to leer over at the attendant who just continued to smile over at them. Yosuke groaned and walked straight over to them. "Hey, are you a chick or a dude?"

Yu's mouth dropped and Chie's face reddened,"Yosuke!"

Yosuke looked over at the two and gave a short laugh. "Please, like your leering wasn't rude." Yosuke looked back to the attendant. "So which is it?"

"I like to think that I relate to both genders." the attendant continued giving his or her smile, not changing one bit.

"Uh... right... but for the sake of clarity, what would you want us to refer to you as?" Yosuke began to rub his neck as his tone began to become less certain.

"Whatever you feel comfortable with." The attendant than gently patted Yosuke's shoulder. "I'm sure you three have something planned. Run along, don't want to wait too long now."

"Right..." Yosuke walked back to Yu and Chie, and the three began to walk down the shopping district. "I am so much more confused than I was. Thanks Yu, I really needed to add this to the questions that flood my mind."

"Sorry about that..." Yu grimaced and lowered his head to the watery street before him. "I'm also sorry that I am probably going to make your day even more surreal pretty soon."

At the Dojima residence Yu closed up his umbrella and shook it out before entering into his home, the two following him did the same. "Nanako, I brought some people over today. Is that all right?" Over in the living room Yu caught sight of his cousin staring at the television set, some cartoon was playing on it. After waiting a few seconds for a response he put his umbrella in its rack and came in further. "Nanako?"

"Hmm?" Nanako looked over at Yu than at the two people behind him. "Oh hi, don't forget to wipe your feet before coming in. I just mopped the floor."

"You mopped?" Yu wiggled out of his coat and hung it up. Chie and Yosuke quietly gave each other a glance before wiping there feet on the mat.

"Yeah, I accidentally got some mud in the house so I had to clean it up." Nanako looked back to the TV and became silent.

"Nanako?" Yu came over to her and rested a hand on her shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay." Nanako looked up at Yu curiously. "Weren't you gonna do something with your friends?"

Yu nodded solemnly and headed up to his room. "So, here is where it all happened. Just last night. In here..." Yu sighed and sat down on the table that stood in front of the TV. "I would like to request that neither of you freak out. I don't want Nanako running in here to see what the screaming is about."

"Dude, I'm not gonna scream." Yosuke crossed his arms and glared over at Yu. "Just stick it in and get it over with."

Yu became silent.

"What?" Yosuke looked over at Chie who was smirking. "What?!"

"Nothing, nothing Yosuke." Chie held her mouth as some chuckles ushered forth. "Just... hurry up Yu, before Yosuke says something else riddled with innuendos."

Yosuke thought about this for a second than scoffed. "Oh come on! You know what I meant."

"Doesn't take away the hilarity of what you said." Chie had calmed down and sat next to Yu who was staring over at the television. Resting a hand on Yu, Chie gave him a thumbs up. "We're ready, blow our minds away."

Yu nodded and slowly walked over to the television. Gently he pressed his hands on the television and for a moment nothing happened. Before anyone could respond however, the hand suddenly sunk right through and the television screen began to pulsate like ripples in a pool. Looking over his shoulder he smiled at seeing the awestruck faces of Chie and Yosuke.

"You weren't making it up at all... damn." Chie held the sides of her head and let out a muffled scream through grated teeth. "This is crazy! First the midnight channel! Now you're putting your hand through the TV? This has to be a trick." As Chie came over and started feeling the television screen, Yosuke stood by with his eyes wide and his mouth sealed shut. "Wow, I can actually feel it rippl- Aaah!" Chie's hands sunk into the TV leading to her freaking out and falling backwards. Hitting her head on the table she let out a curse and began to rub the back of her head.

Yosuke quickly grabbed at the door and ran off. Startled, Yu looked over at the now open door "Yosuke?" Taking his handout of the TV he ran past Chie as she started getting back to her feet. "Yosuke what are you doing?"

"I need to check on Saki-Senpai!" Yosuke swerved about on the stairs and disappeared from Yu's line of sight.

Grimacing Yu began to hurry down the stairs after Yosuke, Chie following right behind him. Grumbling Chie rubbed her head, "Yeah, I'm okay thanks for asking." reaching out her hand she stopped Yu. "Listen, I think Yosuke will need to do this by himself. It's pretty personal to him."

Yu grabbed his face and sat down on the stairs. "You don't think he'll do anything stupid do you?"

Chie sat next to Yu and shrugged. "What do you think he'll do? Tell every person he sees about how people can enter into a world that is inside of the TV? Nah, Yosuke's can be a real bone head but he does have some commonsense." Chie sighed and leaned back.

"I still think we should go with him... just so we can see Saki too." Yu ran a hand through his hair and groaned. "Do you think I should have told you guys about this?"

Chie tilted her head and pouted. "Honestly I don't know." Grabbing her head Chie began to shake it. "This is a lot to take in... is it okay with you if I just go home for now?"

Yu looked into Chie's eyes and found himself nodding. "Okay, is there some time you want to talk more about this?"

"Maybe, we'll see tomorrow." Chie again sighed and shook her head. "This has just been an amazing week so far, hasn't it?"

"Yeah..." Yu looked down to his feet as he listened to Chie leave. After the front door opened and closed Yu sprawled out on the step he was on and shut his eyes. A little bit later Yu heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. Opening his eyes he saw Nanako looking down at him.

"You okay? Your friends all left." Nanako sat down on the step in front of Yu and than lay down on it.

Yu chuckled as he looked at Nanako peering up at him on the lower step. "Yeah, its fine." Reaching over he draped an arm around her. "Thanks for checking on me Nanako. It's much appreciated."